President Lee Myung-bak reappointed the head of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) this week despite strong opposition.

Civic and human rights groups say Hyun Byung-chul limited the NHRCKâ€™s role in watching over government institutions in his first term. Groups also raised allegations of academic plagiarism, real estate speculation and other ethical lapses.

â€śLee intends to ruin the countryâ€™s human rights record for another three years,â€ť said Myoung Sook, coordinator of a coalition of 300 rights groups across the country.

In a statement, the coalition said Hyun had worked to obfuscate the administrationâ€™s rights violations. His reappointment received criticism from opposition parties as well as from within the ruling Saenuri Party.

"I will take the past criticism in a humble way and try my best to run the NHRCK independently," Hyun said Monday.

The president announced in June his intention to reappoint HyunÂ for a three-year tenure, saying his commission had played a leading role in protecting human rights since he was appointed as head in 2009.

"Eighty percent of the nation and even most NHRCK members have opposed the reappointment,â€ť the NHRCKâ€™s trade union said.

The union has asked for Hyun's resignation.

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